Glad Midsommar in Malmö

It was the day of Midsommar (Mid-summer) when I arrived at Malmö in the afternoon. Midsommar is Sweden’s most popular festival but it was not a very nice thing for visitors. Everyone has gone to the countryside with friends and family, all shops were closed and there were no celebrations on the streets in the city centre. It’s like Chinese New Year, if you are not in a Chinese family, the festival means nothing to foreigners.

Therefore, I decided to take a nap in the hostel before going on my night adventure because I was really, really tired, and the weather wasn’t very nice. In the hostel people told me an interesting tradition that girls are supposed to collect petals of 7 flowers, put them under her pillow and spend the night dreaming of her future husband. I wasn’t thinking of doing this (I almost forgot because I was told this tradition before my nap) until I saw flowers along the canal in the city centre. Then I thought, why not ? Doing so doesn’t necessarily mean I have to dream of someone, I can think of someone who, either recently or long ago, appeared in my life.

Walking along the canal on a well-built bicycle and jogging track, my thoughts about relationships with people flooded in. I eventually wrote a poem in my head, and rushed back to the hostel so I could write it down before I forget some lines. I have come to the conclusion that one should be thankful for everyone they have met on the road. It is because without them, one could hardly imagine how different he/she will be from now. How dumb I will remain if I haven’t met that intelligent know-it-all ? How selfish I will remain if I haven’t lived with those people ? How narrow my mind will remain if I haven’t experienced those things I used to judge ?

Indeed, these thoughts are not really related to Malmö as a city … but it was the city that inspired me to have these thoughts. I am also glad I went to Malmö, a small but charming place on a day I can enjoy alone time IN the city. Where there were only a few people, you can watch them more carefully and observe different patterns in life. Old couples travelling to small cities because their children has grown up and have their own lives, “jobless” people collecting wastes from recycling bins, youngsters who decided to stay in a cafe and just chill with friends … They all became special scenes on the streets, in contrast to those who went and was celebrating the holiday.

Lilla Torg (Little Square) in the evening under cloudy weather. Where I discovered people who stayed in the city.

And at the end of my walk, I collected 7 flowers, I wrote a poem and I was able to release some of my thoughts from my travels. I tried to dream of a future boyfriend indeed, but I wasn’t able to remember anything from that night. I guess that’s because I had a nice and sound sleep. 🙂 And nothing is better than quality sleep when one travels !!

It would be nice if a group of 5 friends whose names start with M,A,L,M,O respectively, park their bikes with this (just a thought)